A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. (Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, ch. 64)
Dear Dragons, families, and friends,
We have some big news. As of September 1, 2026, Immortal Dragon Vancouver is run by the 5 Animals Shaolin Kung Fu Association, a nonprofit society registered in British Columbia.
The kwoon is the same and so are the classes and the lineage. What has changed is who the school belongs to. It no longer belongs to one person. It belongs to the community that trains here.
Our mission
The 5 Animals Shaolin Kung Fu Association exists to preserve, teach, and share traditional Shaolin Kung Fu in Vancouver. We want it to be open to everyone who wants to learn, whatever their age, background, or income. We want as many people as possible being able to benefit from the millennial treasure that is Kung Fu.
We do this through:
Training the body: Five Animals Shaolin Kung Fu, Sanda, and more.
Cultivating the mind: Tai Chi, Qigong, and meditation.
Building community: a kung fu family where newcomers and long-time locals, kids and adults, train side by side.
Why we became a nonprofit
I started Immortal Dragon to share the art my teacher, Sifu Jose Guillen, shared with me. Over the years it became clear that what we built here is bigger than one person. It's a community. It’s a lineage. It’s a family. A family deserves a structure that protects it.
Here is why we made the change:
1. Every dollar goes back into the art. As a nonprofit, the school isn't run for profit. Tuition and any other income go back into classes, equipment, the kwoon, and our community.
2. Kung fu should be accessible. As a nonprofit society we can apply for community grants and funding that weren't open to us before. Our goal is to use that support to lower barriers for people who want to train but can't easily afford it, such as youth, families, seniors, and newcomers to Canada.
3. The school will outlast any one of us. A traditional art is passed from generation to generation. A society with a board and members means Immortal Dragon can keep going and keep growing long into the future.
4. You get a voice. The Association is run by a volunteer board of directors, and we are inviting our students to become members of the society. Members help shape where the school goes next.
Who runs the Association
Our volunteer board of directors:
Sifu Matthias: President and Chair
Regi: Treasurer
Mary: Secretary
Rob, Tom, Nic: Directors
Thank you to every one of them for giving their time to the school.
What stays the same
For students, day-to-day training doesn't change:
Same kwoon at 273 Union Street
Same teachers, same Five Animals curriculum, same lineage
Same class schedule and same tuition
Same motto: Train hard, stay humble
What's next
Becoming a nonprofit is the first step. In the coming months, we are working towards:
Community grants to support our programs
Making classes more accessible for youth, families, and newcomers
More workshops, seminars, invited teachers
A larger long-term home for the school
We'll share progress here on the blog or in our monthly updates.
How you can help
You don't need to be a kung fu master to support a nonprofit kung fu school:
Come train. Your first class is free. Book your free class →
Bring a friend. Word of mouth is still the best way people find us.
Leave us a review on Google. It helps more people find the school.
Volunteer. We always need help with events, marketing, and keeping the kwoon in shape.
To everyone who has trained, sweated, laughed, and grown with us: this school is yours now, more than ever. Thank you.
Train hard, stay humble 🐉
Sifu Matthias
President, 5 Animals Shaolin Kung Fu Association
